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Numb Body
thumb|400px|A Numb Body. The Numb Body is a strange-looking monster found within the depths of Silent Hill. They are a parallel to the Grey Children seen by Harry Mason. Appearance Numb Bodies are relatively featureless, bipedal beasts which have been witnessed in varying sizes. They very slightly resemble a tadpole or a fish with legs, and are covered in bluish, pale skin which splits and cracks constantly. They stand upon a pair of legs, which end in deformed, toe-like digits. From their backs protrude two conical growths of presumably no real purpose. Their heads only have a single orifice in it, from which they presumably see, and nothing else. They make moaning sounds similar to an infant's cries, especially after being struck down. The larger ones make more of a roar than a cry, showing they have grown stronger. Silent Hill 3 When alone they aren't particularly dangerous in comparison to the other denizens of Silent Hill, attacking by simply ramming their heads into their opponent to damage them. However, they have a tendency to remain in groups and can quickly surround an unwary foe as they deal with each Numb Body in turn. The larger variants, despite their size and more threatening vocalization, are actually not all that much more dangerous than their tinier brethren, although they do deliver and can withstand more punishment, making them that much harder to slay. Silent Hill: The Arcade In this game, Numb Bodies somehow make another appearance (which doesn't make a whole lot of sense given the nature of Silent Hill, unless the game takes place at the same time as Silent Hill 3). Here, they are first spotted within the Central Square Shopping Center. This variety notably convulses and thrashes about significantly more than their previous incarnation. They are also more aggressive, so much so that they will even leap from edges of a higher floor to land a strike on a victim as they fall. These Numb Bodies also demonstrate a new projectile attack, by producing a gaseous, green ball through the hole at the end of their faces, which is then hurled in an arc-like fashion towards the target. This attack does require charging, where the Numb Body is seen leaning backwards to prepare for this method of attack, giving a wary survivor ample time to deal with the monster. Symbolism Its name is derived from its slow and clumsy movements and the fact that its body appears pale as though frozen. It appears undeveloped, as to represent the premature state of God in Heather's womb. The fetus of a child in the womb develops what resembles a tail, but it loses this attribute in the later stages of development; the Numb Body is one of the few enemies not associated with animals that has a tail, and suggests the underdevelopment of God as a type of fetus. They only appear in the first half of the game, further adding to this theory. They emit lamb-like, distressed cries when Heather causes them to collapse. The creature's head resembles a cervix, further relating to maternity and femininity, as do many of the game's monsters. Of interest is the fact that the cracked skin of the Numb Body is similar to the effects of the congenital disease harlequin ichthyosis. (WARNING: Images of infants suffering from Harlequin Ichthyosis are very disturbing.) This feature can relate to body horror and women's fears of problematic pregnancies. Also quite interesting is the lamb-like vocals the Numb Bodies emit, most notably the agonized cries they give off once fallen. Especially within a game of occult matters, this may be a mild nod towards the Christian Lamb of God, which is meant to symbolize the sins of the world being eliminated. The Lamb is typically seen as a beloved, peaceful creature of Jesus, but in context to the game, hearing such agonized, lamb-like sobs may be considered an inversion to its Christian meaning, morphing it instead into a blasphemous occult understanding; Claudia Wolf even states the coming of God will "wash away the filth of mankind," something the Lamb is meant to symbolize. The Order has roots in various modern religions, Christianity included, so this also provides evidence for its sound-oriented symbolism. Appearances *''Silent Hill 3'' *''Silent Hill: The Arcade'' Category:Silent Hill Series Category:Enemies Category:Monsters Category:Species